Method and Apparatus for Mounting and Assembling LED Lens Assemblies in Electronic Displays

Abstract

Lighting elements include light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board with a lens assembly that may be positioned substantially near the light emitting diode to allow light from the light emitting diode to pass through a lens portion of the lens assembly. The lens assembly includes a connecting base piece to detachably connect the lens assembly to the circuit board. A method of connecting a lens to a circuit board may also include placing a lens assembly including the lens over a light emitting diode and detachably connecting the lens to the circuit board by detachably connecting a base piece of the lens assembly to the circuit board.

1 . A lighting element for an electronic sign, comprising:
 a light emitting diode mounted on a circuit board; and   a lens assembly comprising a connecting base piece coupled to a lens piece, wherein the connecting base piece detachably connects to the circuit board substantially near the light emitting diode and the lens piece is configured and positioned such that light from the light emitting diode will substantially transmit through the lens piece.   
   
   
       2 . The lighting element of  claim 1 , further comprising a driver mounted on the circuit board, configured for receiving light information for controlling at least an intensity of the light emitting diode. 
   
   
       3 . The lighting element of  claim 2 , further comprising at least one communication port operably coupled with the driver and configured to operably couple to a control unit to receive the light information. 
   
   
       4 . The lighting element of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting base piece extends around at least one side of the circuit board. 
   
   
       5 . The lighting element of  claim 4 , wherein the connecting base piece comprises two base clips extending to opposite edges of the circuit board, each base clip including an end flange configured to extend along at least a portion of an underside of the circuit board and secure the connecting base piece to the circuit board. 
   
   
       6 . The lighting element of  claim 1 , wherein the lens piece includes a light transmission characteristic selected from the group consisting of transparent, colored, translucent, at least partially opaque, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The lighting element of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diode is a multi-color light emitting diode. 
   
   
       8 . The lighting element of  claim 1 , wherein the lens piece comprises an outer ledge disposed circumferentially around the lens piece such that the lens piece is configured to be disposed partially through a hole in a mounting clip and a leg piece of the mounting clip is configured to clip around a portion of the outer ledge to secure the lens piece to a display screen. 
   
   
       9 . The lighting element of  claim 1 , wherein the lens piece and the connecting base piece are formed as a single contiguous piece. 
   
   
       10 . A lighting strip, comprising:
 a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board; and   a plurality of lens assemblies, each of the plurality of lens assemblies configured for detachable coupling to the circuit board substantially near one of the plurality of light emitting diodes, each of the plurality of lens assemblies comprising:
 a connecting base piece configured to detachably connect to the circuit board; and 
 a lens piece coupled to the connecting base piece such that one end of the lens piece is positioned substantially near the one of the plurality of light emitting diodes and the lens piece is configured to transmit light from the one of the plurality of light emitting diodes. 
   
   
   
       11 . The lighting strip of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the plurality of light emitting diodes is a multi-colored light emitting diode. 
   
   
       12 . The lighting strip of  claim 10 , further comprising a plurality of drivers mounted on the circuit board, each of the plurality of drivers operably coupled with one of the plurality of light emitting diodes. 
   
   
       13 . The lighting strip of  claim 10 , further comprising at least one communication port operably coupled with the plurality of drivers and configured to operably couple to a control unit to receive light information sent to drive the light emitting diodes, the plurality of light emitting diodes, or the one of the plurality of light emitting diodes. 
   
   
       14 . The lighting strip of  claim 10 , wherein the connecting base piece of each of the plurality of lens assemblies comprises two base clips extending to opposite edges of the circuit board, each base clip including an end flange configured to extend along at least a portion of an underside of the circuit board and secure the connecting base piece to the circuit board. 
   
   
       15 . A method of assembling a lighting element for a display system, the method comprising:
 coupling at least one light emitting diode to a circuit board; and   detachably connecting at least one lens assembly to the circuit board with the at least one lens assembly positioned substantially near the at least one light emitting diode and configured such that light from the at least one light emitting diode passes through a lens within the at least one lens assembly.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein connecting the at least one lens assembly comprises extending a connecting base piece around at least one side of the circuit board. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein connecting the at least one lens assembly further comprises coupling at least one end flange to the connecting base piece such that the at least one end flange extends along at least a portion of an underside of the circuit board. 
   
   
       18 . A method of securing a lighting element to a display system, the method comprising:
 coupling at least one light emitting diode to a circuit board;   detachably connecting at least one lens assembly to the circuit board with the at least one lens assembly positioned substantially near the at least one light emitting diode and configured such that light from the at least one light emitting diode passes through a lens within the at least one lens assembly; and   securing the at least one lens assembly through an aperture in an electronic display.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein securing the at least one lens assembly comprises placing a mounting clip through the aperture in the electronic display and engaging a leg piece of the mounting clip with an outer ledge of the at least one lens assembly. 
   
   
       20 . An electronic display system, comprising:
 at least one display surface including at least one aperture formed therethrough; and   at least one lighting element extending through the at least one aperture of the at least one display surface, the at least one lighting element comprising:
 a light emitting diode mounted on a circuit board; and 
 a lens assembly comprising a connecting base piece coupled to a lens piece, wherein the connecting base piece detachably connects to the circuit board substantially near the light emitting diode and the lens piece is configured and positioned such that light from the light emitting diode will substantially transmit through the lens piece. 
   
   
   
       21 . The electronic display system of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one mounting clip, wherein the at least one mounting clip extends through the at least one aperture and engages with the lens assembly to secure the lens assembly to the at least one display surface. 
   
   
       22 . The electronic display system of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one mounting clip engages with a ledge extending out from the lens piece of the lens assembly. 
   
   
       23 . The electronic display system of  claim 20 , wherein the connecting base piece comprises two base clips extending to opposite edges of the circuit board, each base clip including an end flange configured to extend along at least a portion of an underside of the circuit board and secure the connecting base piece to the circuit board. 
   
   
       24 . The electronic display system of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one second lighting element extending through at least one different aperture, wherein the at least one second lighting element and the at least one lighting element are serially connected. 
   
   
       25 . The electronic display system of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one lighting strip operably coupled with the at least one lighting element, the at least one lighting strip comprising:
 a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted on a circuit board;   a plurality of lens pieces, each of the plurality of lens pieces positioned over the plurality of light emitting diodes; and   a plurality of base pieces extending around a side of the circuit board and detachably connecting the plurality of lens pieces to the circuit board.   
   
   
       26 . The electronic display system of  claim 25 , further comprising a plurality of combinations of lighting elements and lighting strips extending through apertures in the electronic display system. 
   
   
       27 . The electronic display system of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of combinations of lighting elements and lighting strips are configured to display video data.